REPORT OP THE SECRETARY. 43 



material pertaining to the Indians. As in the past, it has been necessary for 

 the bureau to make use of the Library of Congress from time to time, about 200 

 volumes having been borrowed during the year. Twelve hundred books and 

 approximately 650 pamphlets were received, in addition to the current numbers 

 of more than 600 periodicals. Of the books and pamphlets received, 14S were 

 acquired by purchase, the remainder by gift or exchange. Six hundred and 

 eighty-nine volumes were bound by the Government Printing Office, payment 

 therefor being made from the allotment " for printing and binding * * * 

 annual reports and bulletins of the Bureau of American Ethnology, and for mis- 

 cellaneous printing and binding," authorized by the sundry civil act. This pro- 

 vision has enabled the bureau, during the last two years, to bind many volumes 

 almost in daily use which were threatened with destruction. The catalogue of 

 the bureau now records 17,250 volumes; there are also about 12,200 pamphlets, 

 and several thousand unbound periodicals. The library is constantly referred 

 to by students not connected with the bureau, as well as by various officials of 

 the Government service. 



PROPERTY. 



As noted in previous reports the principal property of the bureau consists of 

 its library, manuscripts, and photographic negatives. In addition it possesses a 

 number of cameras, phonographic machines, and ordinary apparatus and 

 equipment for field work, stationery and office supplies, a moderate amount of 

 office furniture, typewriters, etc., and the undistributed stock of its publications. 

 The sum of $304.62 was expended for office furniture (including bookstacks at a 

 cost of $205) during the fiscal year. 



RECOMMENDATIONS. 



For the purpose of extending the systematic researches of the bureau and of 

 affording additional facilities for its administration, the following recommenda- 

 tions are made : 



A question having arisen in the Committee on Appropriations of the House 

 of Representatives as to the purpose for which an increase of $2,000 in the 

 bureau's appropriation in 1909 was intended, the work of excavating and re- 

 pairing antiquities existing in national parks and monuments has been cur- 

 tailed. The importance of elucidating the archeological problems connected 

 with these ancient remains and of repairing the more important of them for 

 visitors and for future students is so apparent that the need of continuing this 

 work is generally recognized, consequently an estimate of $4,000 " for the ex- 

 ploration and preservation of antiquities " has been submitted for the next 

 fiscal year. 



Ethnological research in Alaska is urgently needed by reason of the great 

 changes taking place among the Indians and the Eskimo since the influx of 

 white people a few years ago. Unless this investigation is undertaken at once 

 the aboriginal inhabitants will have become so modified by contact with whites 

 that knowledge of much of their primitive life will be lost. It is recommended 

 that the sum of $4,500 be appropriated for this work. 



The more speedy extension of ethnological researches among the remnants 

 of the Algonquian tribes formerly occupying the Middle West is desired. In a 

 number of cases these tribes are represented by only a few survivors who retain 

 any knowledge of the traits, language, and customs of their people, hence it 

 will be impossible to gather much of this information unless the work is ex- 

 tended more i-apidly, as the funds now at the bureau's disposal for this pur- 

 pose are inadequate. The additional sum of $1,000 is recommended for this 

 purpose. 



